Berlin hostels began it all

If you fancy a bit of a trip somewhere, then a hostel in Berlin, Germany may soon take your fancy. The country's famous for lots of things, like Bratwurst and Sauerkraut, Bach, Einstein, Karl Marx - and let's not forget beer - but unless you're really into your history, you may not be aware that Germany is also renowned for something else - the youth hostel.

One man who's done his digging is Brendan Monroe and he's written an article on the subject for the Sandspur (the oldest college newspaper in Florida, apparently - it was founded in 1894!).

Apparently, the story of the hostel began many moons ago, in the German countryside in 1909. A schoolteacher - Richard Schirrmann - was leading a hiking trip and, when inclement weather threatened to give everyone nasty colds, the group took shelter in a classroom. This decision sowed the seeds of an idea in Schirrmann's mind and one year on, he wrote an article stating that "villages could have a friendly youth hostel, situated a day's walk from each other, to welcome young hikers".

If you're sharp you will have noticed that, it being 2009, it is the 100th anniversary of the advent of the youth hostel and there are more than 4,500 such places of accommodation to choose from in Germany. Why not head to a Berlin hostel to say happy birthday to the country that kickstarted a revolution?

The city is also particularly popular for short breaks over a long weekend, according to the German National Tourist Office. In fact, it's supposed to be the place most favoured by tourists for such a holiday, in part because of the spa breaks and river cruises that are put on for visitors. Two more reasons to stay in a hostel in Berlin!